Something of an End
by Hopeakaarme
Summary: It's Momo's second National championship, this time as a vicecaptain. However, he can't help but feel somewhat sad at the end of his last official middle school tournament. Luckily, he's got a captain to set him right. Next year fic. Shounen ai MomoKai.


Disclaimer: I own very little.

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Something of an End  


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This was, Momoshiro supposed, the end.

Mind you, it was a very pleasant end – it was hardly a chore to celebrate a National championship with his team. However, it also marked the end of something quite significant – namely, his middle school tennis career. Of course, there would still be club practice and training and practice tournaments, but this was the end of the Nationals and Kantou and everything else that had led up to this moment.

He looked at his team, the team he had helped to lead, and felt accomplished. Tezuka-buchou would have been proud of them, he was sure. There were big grins and laughter, and some were hugging each other, and even Echizen seemed to be smiling. They were a fine bunch, yes they were, and although to some of them this was the last tournament he was confident the others would help continue Seigaku's victory streak. The strongest team in Japan wouldn't be forgotten that easily.

The one who was most expected to be there, though, was nowhere to be seen. Momoshiro wondered about this – surely not even their captain would go running or something at a time like this? But it seemed he had, the bastard, for he was not to be found at the moment.

"Congratulations desu!" A voice distracted him from his thoughts. Turning around, he found himelf looking down at the grinning vice-captain of Yamabuki. The kid looked awfully happy for somebody whose team had just lost in the Nationals finals. "Your team was awesome, Momoshiro-san! You really deserved the victory desu. Our team didn't have a chance desu!"

"Now, that's not true, that's not true at all," Momo replied, grinning. "You guys played great. Being the second best team in Japan isn't bad, it isn't really bad!"

"No, we just got lucky," Dan laughed. "If we had been against Fudoumine in the semifinals we would have been in serious trouble desu!" The younger boy's grin got even wider. "But who knows desu? Maybe next year it'll be our turn to succeed desu!"

"Let's hope so, let's really hope so," Momoshiro replied. "If Echizen wins one more time, he'll get a seriously swelled head. Hey!" he then said as he saw a vaguely familiar figure some ways from them. "It looks like somebody's waiting for you."

The brown eyes brightened even more as Dan saw the figure Momoshiro was pointing at. "Akutsu-senpai!" he exclaimed, starting to run towards the grey-haired boy. Akutsu started walking away, not turning around, but Momo couldn't help but notice he walked just slowly enough that Dan would easily catch him.

Amused though he was by the scene, Momoshiro also found himself to be somewhat envious. It must have been nice to have somebody waiting like that. He didn't have anybody who would wait for him.

"Idiot," said suddenly a voice behind him. What was it with people sneaking up behind him today? "Why do you look so gloomy? I'd expect you to be wearing that idiotic grin of yours instead, fsshuuu."

"Sorry, Mamushi-buchou," Momo said, turning to face his suddenly appeared captain. "Is this better?" He put on his widest grin, happy and cheerful.

"It's fake," Kaidou observed. "What's on your mind? We just won the Nationals, moron. Looking down like that will affect the team's morale, fsshuuu."

"After having you as a captain nothing can turn it for the worse," Momo snapped, then sighed. "Sorry, Mamushi-buchou. I just... got thinking about things."

"What things?" Kaidou turned to look towards their still joyous team. Momo settled to stand beside him.

"Oh, not much, not much at all." Momoshiro shrugged. "It's just... this is the end, you know? To our tennis. Sure, there'll still be practice and such, but soon it'll be autumn and winter and then we'll have to retire from the club for the exams and... And then, it's over, y'know."

For a moment, Kaidou was silent. Then, he sighed. "You moron," he said. "Is that all you're worried about?" He smirked in a way that somewhat reminded Momo of Inui-senpai. "After this is over, it's the time to make our way into the high school team, fsshuuu."

Momoshiro laughed. He couldn't help but laugh. It was so true and so straight-to-the-point and so very, very Kaidou. "Understood, Mamushi-buchou," he said.

"Fsshuuu. It'd better be." Kaidou started walking towards the rest of the team. As Momoshiro didn't follow immediately, he stopped and looked over his shoulder. Waiting. For him. "Are you coming or not, you moron?" he asked.

The grin was suddenly back on Momo's face, only this time, it was genuine. "Yes, Mamushi-buchou!"

Maybe an end wasn't that bad, Momo thought as he hurried after the captain, as long as it was also a beginning.


End file.
